Washington State University hires new extension specialist

Late last fall, Washington State University hired Jenny Bolivar-Medina for a new position on the tree fruit extension team as an information technology transfer specialist for horticulture.

The position, based at the Tree Fruit Research and Extension Center in Wenatchee, is funded by the tree fruit industry endowment. Bolivar-Medina’s work will focus on apple rootstocks and orchard stress management, she said.

Originally from Colombia, she earned her doctorate in plant breeding and genetics at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She continued to work there as a postdoctoral researcher, focusing on physiology and morphology studies in cranberries, supported by the state’s cranberry industry.

“Cranberries are perennial woody plants, so they have some similarities,” she said. “But, I’m excited to learn about apples and pears and cherries and be able to transfer the information the researchers here produce.”

She’ll be planning outreach programs including demos, workshops and field trips.